Game journals for board games I engage in, mostly PBEM.
Some journals are updated while the game is ongoing, some afterwards.

Friday, April 04, 2008

Silent War - December '41 - Week 3

The first serious week of the war commences.

December '41 - Week 3

Strategic Segment

War Event: No roll on Ultra.

Triple "R" Segment:

Pearl: Cachalot -> Repair 2

Operations SegmentBad Torpedoes affect efforts this turn, although the sinking of a several good-sized Maru and the sheer number of subs on Patrol (35) gets the war off to a very good start.

Highlights of combat operations:

In the Gilbert Islands, Tautog gives away her position early and undergoes attack from escorts. She is able to slip away, however, and lines up a shot on a 5T Maru, which is soon at the bottom of the ocean.

In the Solomons, S-39 slips into a small convoy and lines up a 5T Maru. Unfortunately, no explosions are heard and the convoy disappears over the horizon, unharmed.

In the Carolines,

Sailfish finds a small unescorted group of Maru. The first attack run leads to a hit on a 2T Maru, but the torpedo fails to explode. Extremely poor work with the TDC prevents prevents any follow-up attack and a golden opportunity slips away.

Sargo lines up a 15T Maru and scores a hit, however the torpedo only damages the target. Undaunted by the convoy's escorts, Sargo lines up a second attack on a 5T Maru, but gets the same result.

Saury has better luck, sending a 5T AF to the bottom.

In the Marianas, Sturgeon draws a bead on a small 1T Maru, but is let down by the torpedoes which either run too deep or fail to explode on impact. They do not, however, fail to attract the attention of escorts, which damage Sturgeon, forcing her back to port, where the damage turns out to be immediately repairable (Broom Box).

In the Bonins, ASW forces and bad torpedoes wreak havoc on the submarines' efforts:

Spearfish thinks herself lucky to find a small convoy with a 15T Maru, scoring a hit on the fat Merchatman, only to be let down by the torpedoes, which do no damage. Swarming escorts force Spearfish deep and depth charges damage the submarine, albeit not severely (Broom Box)

Swordfish locates a smaller 3T Maru, but suffers the same cruel fate at the hands of defective torpedoes. In her case, a Betty swoops in unexpectedly, stifling any follow-up attack and damaging the sub enough that she has to return to base for minor repairs (Broom Box).

The Marshall Islands provide the final successful chapter for the week.

Salmon lines up on what looks to be a 2T Maru, and scores a crippling hit. As the rest of the convoy moves off, leaving the ship to its fate, Salmon surfaces to find that the ship was larger than it appeared, more like a 4T Maru.

In a week where two 15T Maru escaped as a result of bad torpedoes, Skipjack gets the final word, sending the 15T Maru in her periscope to the bottom with a perfect spread of torpedoes, despite the presence of escorts and a less than perfect firing solution.